Tuesday, August 17, 1999 Published at 12:46 GMT 13:46 UKUKMourners remember Helen RollasonHelen Rollason's coffin is carried into churchFriends, family and colleagues of the BBC sports presenter Helen Rollason have been paying their respects to her at a thanksgiving service.

Ms Rollason died last week from cancer at the age of 43, following a two-year, public battle against the disease.

Helen Rollason was the BBC's first woman sports presenter

Her funeral and cremation, held on Tuesday morning, were private family occasions.

A memorial service was held at a
church near her home in Shenfield, Essex.

Conducted by the Reverend Stephen Henwood of St Francis Hospice, Havering,
Essex, the service contained moving tributes as well touches of humour, joyful
hymns and thanks for her life.

He said Ms Rollason had not wanted the service to be morbid.

No flowers

Ms Rollason, who was the first woman to present BBC Sport's flagship Grandstand programme, was diagnosed with cancer of the liver and colon in 1997.

Helen's daughter Nikki with her father John

Although given only a few months to live, she astonished doctors with her lengthy battle against the disease.

She also continued to work, most recently on the Six O'Clock News, and went to Buckingham
Palace in a wheelchair to collect her MBE last month.

Before her death, Ms Rollason helped to raise £5m for
a care clinic at the hospital where she was treated.

Her family requested that no flowers be sent to her funeral, but that instead donations be
given to the Helen Rollason Cancer Care Centre Appeal at Room 40, Cancer Centre,
North Middlesex Hospital, Sterling Way, Edmonton, London N18 1QZ.